Gar, the Latte Boy
by GUCIGIRL
Summary: Desperate for a quiet space one day, she stumbled into the coffee shop, not knowing…
1. Chapter 1

**Title: Gar, The Latte Boy**

**Summary: Desperate for a quiet space one day, she stumbled into the coffee shop, not knowing…**

**Author's Notes: OK, this was based off of "Taylor, the Latte Boy" by Kristin Chenoweth. I added a little darker side, and I hope you like it! Oh, and Brittany Cramer is not Starfire. Just a girl from school I hate. **

**Enjoy!**

It was a cold, rainy day – the kind that made you want to roll over and ignore your alarm when it went off at seven AM. It was the kind of day that made you shiver just by looking out the window. Unfortunately, today was one of those days, and those were the only thoughts going through Rachel's head as she peered out the window from the comfort of her college dorm room bed. Shuddering involuntarily, she rubbed her hands together and pulled on a bathrobe over her navy blue T-shirt and pajama pants. Her roommate, Brittany, was still fast asleep, thank God. She had to be the most annoying person to share a room with in the history of histories…

Brittany Cramer, the spoiled senator's daughter from Texas, had been selected out of 150 other girls to be Rachel's roommate…of course. The two couldn't be bigger opposites. While Rachel enjoyed deep conversations, poetry, scented candles, moonlight, and anything out of the ordinary, Brittany enjoyed pink, boys, designer clothes, shopping, and more boys. Honestly, Rachel didn't know why she hadn't reported directly to the housing office on the first day.

Entering the bathroom, she sighed. Of course, it was covered in all sorts of beauty products. All pink, naturally. There was a cabinet, however, that Rachel had claimed for herself. It held three towels, a toothbrush and toothpaste, a brush, some elastics, and a few other things. No make-up or anything. She didn't believe in such things. She turned on the water, undressed, and climbed into the shower. Her short, dark hair instantly was soaked, and she scrubbed it and thought.

It had been a good year so far at Dartmouth College. She had great professors, and had really been enjoying her novels class with Professor Devin Kateb. In fact, she had a giant paper due in his class day after tomorrow on James Joyce. She already had forty pages typed up, and just needed ten more. As she pondered over ideas for an ending, her thoughts began to wander far off from her term paper. Overall, she decided that since she had come to college, life had become considerably better from before.

Her father, Tyrell Roth, was a retired general and now, an executive at some big-shot corporate company. To be frank, Rachel didn't like him at all, and it was obvious that the emotions were shared equally the other way. Ever since she was young…since…_it_ happened, he had sent her off to boarding school for most of the year. When she did return home, General Roth happened to be busy with the government or tangled up in business issues. Rachel didn't have a mother or any siblings now, but she didn't want to think of that…

Stepping out of the shower, she dried herself off and tread back into the cold dorm room. Thankfully, Brittany still remained unmoved, slumped in her bed in the exact same position. Chuckling slightly to herself, Rachel dressed herself in a pair or ripped jeans and a dark blue sweater. She didn't feel like putting herself together at all – the student population was very understanding about that sort of thing. Gathering her things, she grabbed her room key and headed downstairs to the eating hall to grab something to eat before going to Philosophy class in Thornton Hall. As she walked, she passed dorm room 745 – a room she never wanted to see again. It belonged to her old boyfriend, Malcom. He was such a jerk. To think that she had actually dated him…it made her shudder. She didn't really like to think about it, as he hadn't been…the best of a boyfriend choice.

After a quick pastry and orange juice, Rachel found herself outside of Thornton, and stepped inside from the rain. Thankfully, it was only drizzling outside, so she wasn't very wet. Her classroom was up the stairs and to the far right, and she didn't meet many others on the way up. It was eight AM, after all. Most of campus was asleep, and wouldn't wake up for several hours when their classes started. Her professor, Sophia Cassie, was setting up in the area-seating style, and jumped slightly when she saw Rachel enter.

"Well, miss Roth. I wasn't expecting students for another minute, but why don't you take a seat?" Rachel smiled and sat down, pulling her textbooks from her shoulder-slung bag. Within two minutes or so, students began to enter slowly. It was a relatively small class – only about ten students or so. She didn't really know many others, but still ended up getting in philosophical discussions almost every class with them.

The boy who sat next to her was Warren Cummings, a very annoying student who was constantly hitting on her. Rachel was quite tempted to punch him more than once a day. As he took a seat and deliberately scooted closer, she rolled her eyes and took out paper for notes. She chanced a glance at the irritating nuisance that she had to sit by, and he instantly wiggled his eyebrows and flicked his brown locks out of his eyes.

"So, Rae – there's a party going on at FEUL in a tonight. So, are you going with me, myself, or I?"

"It's Rachel. Honestly, Warren. Could you possibly have a bigger ego?" Even if she had wanted to go, it would never be with him. She hated all the dance clubs – the pounding music and flashing lights did nothing for her except create headaches.

"Big ego? What are you talking about, Rae? I only have your best interests at heart."

"Best interests as in telling me who I should go to a dance club with?"

"I only asked because I know that you know you want me."

"Whatever your reasoning, you still have no idea what you're talking about. And my name is Rachel. If I have no reason to speak to you, then I would advise you to keep your mouth shut. Besides, Professor Cassie is about to start." Rachel turned back to her notebook as the professor began to write on the chalkboard. Warren looked so stunned that he actually allowed her to scoot away back into her own personal bubble. The rest of the class continued relatively smoothly, save one time when Warren made the mistake of draping his arm around Rachel's shoulders. She stomped on his foot so hard that an hour later, he limped out.

Class ended at ten o'clock, and by that time, it was pouring outside. Groaning, she slipped the bag over her neck as it hung on her shoulders and pulled the navy sweater tightly around her. When she exited, she saw a group of guys – they looked like Sophomores – in shorts and T-shirts, headed out to Memorial Field for a game of rain football. They were totally crazy. They would get covered in mud and completely soaked. Perhaps pneumonia fit into the equation as well. As the guys disappeared, Rachel headed towards the library to do more research on James Joyce. Her laptop, as always, was in her bag, and she set it up on a table near the classic literature section.

Pulling her paper up, she stared at her last words. She stared and stared and stared…what was next? A voice from behind made her give a start, but she quickly whirled around to see her very good friend, Kori. She had attended a high school near to her own, and the two had known each other since elementary school. Kori had immigrated from Germany at the age of nine, and had never learned English 100 properly. Despite this, she, unlike Rachel, enjoyed her roommate, Karen Beecher. The three of them were now known as an invincible trio, as they went everywhere together.

"Hello, friend Rachel! How is your paper of the term coming?"

"I've got ten more pages to do, and it's due day after tomorrow. I would say that it's…coming."

"You must make with the haste, as we have decided to have a 'girl's night out' tonight."

"Unfortunately, Kori, not all of us can write a fifty page term paper in two days and have it fully edited. I hate to disappoint you and Karen, I really do, but I have tons of work to do and only so much time."

"I understand. If you need any assistance, I would be more than willing to comply. Perhaps I could fetch you some tea from the Sanborn Hall at four in the afternoon. Or I could get you a refreshing snack from the Collis Center. That would be most enjoyable, yes?"

"Actually, Kori, all I need is a quiet place to think."

"Oh. In that case, I shall vacate immediately and give you 'the space'."

Kori quickly left, as she had learned long ago that you should not bother Rachel when she was trying to concentrate. Now alone, she once again stared at the computer screen, trying to find the words she needed. A group of juniors entered, loudly debating something about Physics, a topic beyond Rachel's understanding. Murmuring to herself, she shut (slammed, rather) the laptop with frustration. Everyone was being too loud and she had a paper due in two days. Didn't anyone understand that? Placing the computer in her shoulder bag, she trampled down the stairs. Despite her anger, she managed to yawn. She must be very tired. Thinking back, she had only eaten a pastry and orange juice today, and it was nearing 11 o'clock. Rachel was beginning to regret turning down Kori's offer for tea.

Outside, the rain had not given in, by far. The rain was just as heavy, and it didn't look like it would be over soon. One boy was sitting outside in the middle of a lawn with his guitar singing "Will I" from RENT. He was completely soaked, and didn't seem to care. Walking past him, she noticed a sign around his neck. It read: "Please help! All proceeds go towards Foundation for AIDS." Smiling, Rachel pulled a five-dollar bill from her wallet and deposited in the cup sitting at his feet. The boy stopped playing for a moment to thank her, and kept on playing.

Continuing on down through campus, she thought of quiet places she could go that would guarantee her a few hours of silence. To be honest, she couldn't think of a single one besides a few remote bathrooms. Perhaps in the town. There, she might be able to find a quiet place to get something done. Those who lived in this college town knew how much they were willing to comply with students' needs. Reaching the edge of campus, she passed through and headed down the streets. Although she had poked through most of Hanover, she knew quite well that there were secret places still waiting to be discovered.

Rachel drew the sweater tightly around her small body – it was getting chilly outside. A diner would do no good, and neither would a book store. College students were everywhere. _Please,_ she thought, _Let me find some place quiet…concealed. _As if it seemed possible, the rain began to pour harder, and she seemingly gave up trying to stay dry. She was soaked to the bone already. For some reason, her feet carried her down an alley, as though they were being called. They ended up in front of a wooden sign that was blowing slightly in the wind.

_Indigo Midnight Café_. Huh. It already looked good just by the name. Pulling herself together, she headed inside, pushing the front door open. It was a cozy place – only a few tables and chairs. There were two sofas and a recliner, all of which looked very comfortable. Rachel went over to one and sat down, pulling her laptop out. No other students were there, so she figured that this was as good of a place as she would get. The room was dimly lit by stringed lights that were twisted around the support beams, and the only other light streamed in through the windows. Paintings of various sorts lined the walls, and against the far side of the room, a counter sat with baked goods underneath. In the very center, a small raised platform with a microphone stand and stool sat, as though waiting for someone to come perform.

There was a noise from behind the counter, and Rachel headed over cautiously to see its source. She found a bent-over figure rummaging through a cabinet. The person whispered, _"Dammit. Where is it?"_ and she couldn't help but chuckling. From the tone of the voice, it was a guy, and he was very frustrated. The guy stood upright at once at the sound of the laugh. "Wha…who…oh, hi." He was a reasonably tall guy, and wore an apron with the café's name on it.

"Hello."

"You are the first customer I've had all afternoon, you know that?"

"Really? It surprises me that no one has come – this place is really nice, you know."

"Thanks. Yeah. I actually found out about this place on my third day here, and I've loved it ever since. I guess since it's in a dark alley, most students don't think to look back here."

"I guess not." Rachel stared down at her fingertips as they rested on the counter. She wasn't much of a 'people person', but still…for some odd reason, she couldn't look him in the eye.

"Well,..yeah. I'm supposed to do the formal introduction, so here goes." The boy put on a fake grin and leaned forward at the counter. "Good afternoon, miss. I'm Gar Logan. How may I help you?" He flashed a thumb's up and reached out a hand for her to shake. Rachel couldn't help but chuckling a little bit. "It's nice to see someone appreciate my sense of humor. My quad…they all think I'm some sort of a loser or something. And because of my green hair, I'm a poser, too."

"I'm sorry. I think you're funny. Who do you room with?"

"Andy, Phil, and Malcom." Rachel's eyes grew wide at the mention of the last name, and she gripped the edge of the counter tightly. Noticing this, Gar looked concerned at her sudden reaction. "Hey, are you all right?"

"Yeah. I just…know Malcom Narrel."

"Oh? I take it your experience with him wasn't exactly 'good'."

"To put it nicely, yes."

"Sorry."

"Don't be. It was my mistake to make anyway."

"So what brings you to this fine café on this gorgeous day, madame?"

"To make a long and aggravating story short, I needed a quiet place to finish my term paper, and this place looked good. Baker library was too loud."

"Yeah. For a library, it is loud."

"So are you a student at Dartmouth?"

"Just a tiny freshman, I'm afraid. I work here on the side to help with tuition."

"Seriously? You're a freshman? I thought you were a junior. After all, I'm a freshman, too."

"Cool. You want anything while you work? Coffee? Hot chocolate?"

"Do you have herbal tea?"

"No, unfortunately. My boss thinks that tea is too fancy for a place like this. Do you want anything else instead?"

No herbal tea? What else could she order? A couple months ago in the dead of winter, Kori had dragged her to go shopping at the nearest mall. Later, she dragged her into a Starbucks, where she had happily ordered her a latte. If she remembered correctly, it hadn't been that bad.

"I'll take a regular latte, please. I am in need of caffeine if I want to type the last ten pages on James Joyce for Professor Kateb."

"Devin Kateb? You have him?" he asked, taking a coffee cup, "Man, I've heard he's tough."

"He is, but I'm enjoying the challenge."

"Enjoying the challenge, huh? I can appreciate that in a person. My friends think I'm some goofy guy who always jokes around, but I never keep my eyes off of the goal. I'm_ always _focused." Gar smiled at Rachel from the latte machine just as foam began overflowing in the cup. Surprised, he dropped the cup and it exploded all over the floor. "Well…almost always focused. Which class of Kateb's are you taking?"

"Novels."

"Really? I'd never survive."

"I'm actually thinking of majoring in English, despite my father's wishes."

"Huh. What does he want you to major in?"

"Business. Law. Something to that effect. Something, dare I say it, conventional."

"I can understand your plea for a rebellion."

"What about you?"

"My parents want me to be a physician in a nice medical practice, but not me. Veterinarian, definitely." Gar finished cleaning up the mess on the floor, glancing upward constantly, before pulling out a new cup for her. As he turned around, she saw that the roots of his hair were blonde, but he had spiked it and turned it green.

"I like your hair. It suits you."

"Tell that to my mother."

Rachel smiled and gently grasped the coffee cup he gave her. "How much do I owe…?"

"It's on the house. What's your name?"

"Rachel. Rachel Roth."

"Rachel," he breathed, "Roth, huh? Related to the guy who started Roth Jewish Center?"

"No. The other famous Roth."

"Do you mean four star General Tyrell Roth, CEO of Rothcorp?"

"The one and only." Rachel got tired of this story.

"Seriously? How?"

"He's my dad. If you could call him that." Rachel took a seat on the sofa and turned to her laptop. Gar ducked from behind the counter and sat beside her, as there was absolutely nothing else for him to do. They sat in silence for a moment as Rachel logged on to her computer and let it boot up. Finally, Gar turned to her and looked her in the eye.

"Rough childhood?"

Wow. How had the conversation come to that of all things? She had never spilled her soul to anyone, let alone a random guy she just met in a coffee shop. Still…he didn't seem like the type to laugh or tell anyone else.

"Yes."

"What happened?" he asked concernedly.

"Um…I'd rather not talk about it. Only three people on this Earth knew exactly what happened. My dad and my best friend know now."

"I thought you said three people knew?"

"Notice the past tense. My mom knew, but she died when I was seven."

"I'm so sorry. I didn't realize. I'm sorry for asking."

"It's fine…that was 11 years ago."

"Yeah, I guess. But things from the past tend to catch up to you. I would know…"

"Why?" Gar looked at Rachel, a sad expression in his eyes.

"I won't ask. I'm sorry."

"No. It's no secret. My parents died in a boating accident off the coast of Africa when I was five. I was adopted after six years of shifting from home to home. The longest six years of my life…still. Now I'm fine. Two great people, Steve and Rita – they adopted me. They were friends of my parents' and they tell me that they raised me a way that my parents would be proud. The thing is, though, I'll never know if they're right. I can't remember my parents…at all."

"Wow."

"That as bad as your story?"

"I hate to be selfish and brutally honest, but no. It comes relatively close, but it takes a lot to top my story."

Noticing that the conversation was getting a little awkward, Gar got up. "I bet you'll want to get working on your paper, though." Rachel nodded and turned to her laptop as he left. Thinking for several minutes, she had a sudden inspiration and began typing away. All thoughts except her paper seemed to have left her mind. All thoughts except for Gar's story…it nagged at the back of her mind the whole time. After about three hours, she happily typed the last period and saved. Now she just had to edit…ugh. Leaning back into her chair in relief, she sighed. Gar, who had been stacking and unstacking coffee cups the whole time, looked up to see her close the laptop.

"Done, huh?"

"Yes. Now I just need to edit it. Hooray." Rachel lifted her finger and twirled it around in a sarcastic way.

"When's it due?"

"In two days."

Gar peered down at his toes and rocked back and forth on the balls of his feet for a moment. "Good…'cause I was wondering. Are you doing anything tonight? There's a party at FEUL, and I thought maybe…"

"Parties aren't exactly my thing."

"Oh. Well could we-"

"_But_ I will make an exception for you. I can't wait." The sides of her mouth twitched and she packed up her laptop. As she headed for the door, Gar called after her. He seemed to have just caught on to the fact that she had said yes.

"Wait! I'll pick you up at eight in your dorm. What's your room number?"

"Dorm 632 in Dartmouth Row."

"Great. See you then, OK?"

"Deal."

Smiling to herself, Rachel exited Indigo Midnight Café. The rain was still pouring. Spectacular. Gar Logan, huh? He was a nice guy. Not to mention, he made a decent latte. Tonight would be interesting…

**Another fic from me, I know, I know... I picked Dartmouth College for two reasons: I've been there (one of the few campuses i've visited) and it just seemed to fit, you know? I'm going to have fun with this fic and hope for tons of reviews, because I would LOVE that. **

**I luv you all (but only if you review!) **

**peace 'n luv, GUCIGIRL **


	2. Chapter 2

**Title: Gar, The Latte Boy**

**Summary: Desperate for a quiet space one day, she stumbled into the coffee shop, not knowing…**

**Author's notes: Wow! Thank you for all of the reviews – I'm honored that you all chose to read this fic! Honestly, I know the general direction that this story is going in, but IF YOU HAVE ANY IDEAS, FEEL FREE TO LET ME KNOW! **

**I am so sorry for the long lapse of time between chapters. I have been so busy with my Grandma in the hospital and tests and other such endeavors. I will try my hardest to have chapters sooner together, but I can't promise. Just keep an eye out and bear with me, OK? I apologize most sincerely!**

**Oh yeah…I have an element to change about the story. THIS IS VERY VERY IMPORTANT! CAN I MAKE IT CLEARER? Rachel's mother didn't die when she was seven. She died when Rachel was thirteen. Now back to your feature presentation. **

**Enjoy!**

**Gar, The Latte Boy**

**Chapter 2: Dancing Through Memories  
**

Arriving back in her dorm, Rachel squeezed her hair out on the floor and proceeded up the stairs towards her dormitory. Luckily, Brittany had a class at this time, so she would have the dorm to herself. Unlocking the door, she found the room a complete mess. While she enjoyed cleaning up after herself, Brittany found it necessary to let others pick up after her. Normally, Rachel would have sighed exasperatedly and begin to pick up, but today she felt different. She would let her room mate pick up her own crap for once.

Setting down her laptop, Rachel flopped on her bed and stared at the ceiling for a minute. "I'm going to a party tonight…I'm going to a party tonight? Me? I really am going…" she almost had to convince herself that it was the truth. She hadn't gone to a party like this since she had dated Malcom, the idiot. It hadn't been at FEUL, the basement party club at Dartmouth, though. It had been at a private club about an hour's drive away. That night hadn't exactly been fun. Malcom had gotten drunk and had said some…regrettable things to her. She had to hitchhike back to campus with a suspicious trucker, but it was better than getting killed in an accident.

Suddenly, there was a knock at the door and Rachel jumped up to answer it. A worried Kori and Karen stood in her doorway, almost shrieking when the saw who stood before them. "Oh Rachel! I cannot believe you have returned!"

"What are you talking about?"

"Girl, we've been looking for you for the last couple hours, but you didn't show up."

"Yes, you were not on the campus of colleges."

"I sent into Hanover, all right? No need to get all uptight. Good news, though. I finished my paper. All I need to do is edit it."

"Oh, that is most excellent!"

"I know…" Rachel headed back over to her bed and sat, nervously twiddling her thumbs. "There's something else, too." She hesitated in telling her friends. Though they were her friends, she wasn't exactly the type of person to get…dates. She was more of the friend who stays at home. "I…uh…kind of…"

"Please! Do not keep me waiting! What is your urgent news?"

"I went to this coffee shop and there was this guy. We talked and…he's…he's taking me to the party at FEUL tonight."

Karen looked pleased and a little smug, but Kori looked utterly delighted. She seemed to have lost track of her friend's words at "there was this guy."

"How romantic, Rachel! Please, what is his name?"

"Gar. Look…I-"

"Gar? Gar Logan? He's in my Biochemistry class. Who'd have thought?" Karen chuckled.

"Guys! I need focus! I've only been to FEUL once this year. You know the occasion, but we really don't need to discuss that. Anyway, I _can't believe_ I'm asking you this, but…can you help me find something to wear?" Rachel winced, ready to fight back against anything pink or girly that Kori thrust at her. When nothing happened, she peered out from behind her arm to find her friends with identical excited grins on their faces.

"Oh my God! I know the perfect thing, Rachel!" Karen screeched. "Girl, you're going to make Gar Logan pass out when he sees you!" Both girls grabbed Rachel's wrists and dragged her down the hallway towards their dorm.

"Why do I even bother…?" Rachel wondered and sighed as her ankles dragged along the carpet. They reached the room, which was so messy, you could barely see the floor. They told her to wait by the door, which she did, however reluctantly. Returning about five minutes later, they revealed their big secret. When she saw what they were holding up, her eyes grew wide, and she shook her head.

"No…no. No way would I ever…could I ever…I refuse."

"Voila! You're going to wear this and you're going to like it!"

"Just try it on!"

Rachel held out her arms and hesitantly accepted the tiny black skirt and blue halter top. She scowled for a moment before trudging to the bathroom and slamming the door behind her. After a few minutes, Kori and Karen were growing impatient. What was taking so long? "Rachel? Open up! We wanna see!"

"No. It looks horrible…well, I just can't. All right?"

"Let us at least see your appearance. We will not laugh. We swear."

Opening the door just a crack, Rachel poked her head out to make sure the media wasn't present. Inhaling once, she threw back the door, revealing the rest of her. Both of the other girls gasped and Kori clapped her hands. The ashen-skinned girl turned ruby under the gazes of her friends.

"Wow. You _will_ make Gar pass out. You look _hot!"_

"You do look quite warm!"

"Uh…"

"Trust us, OK? Just look in a mirror."

Karen directed Raven to the nearest mirror and at first Rachel closed her eyes and winced before opening them slowly. She was surprised to say the least. It actually looked…all right. No, it didn't look all right. It looked good, if not great. Her pleasure at her appearance was apparently evident on her face, because both Kori and Karen burst out in a fit of giggles.

"What did we tell you? He will swoon at the sight of you!" Karen placed her hand on her forehead and pretended to fall over as Kori caught her. "Oh, I've fallen in love!" she smiled before chuckling.

"What time is it?"

"It's almost four o'clock."

"Ugh! What am I supposed to do for the next four hours?"

"Homework?" Kori suggested.

"Daydream about your new boyfriend?"

Rachel smirked for a moment before gathering her clothes up and heading back to her dorm. Upon unlocking the door, much to her dismay, she found Brittany fully awake and dancing to loud music on her bed. Noticing her roommate's arrival, she stopped the music for a moment and hopped down. She noticed what Rachel was wearing and raised her eyebrows suspiciously.

"Why are you dressed like that?" she asked in her annoying cutesy southern accent.

"Why do you care?"

"You're like, my roommate and you normally dress in old hand-me-downs."

"I don't dress in hand-me-downs, and I don't value your opinion." Rachel pulled her laptop out and began editing her term paper. Shrugging, Brittany turned the music back up and began dancing again. Rachel closed her amethyst eyes in frustration. Once again, the noise was aggravating her. Was the only possible working place the café? Pulling out a pair of headphones, she occupied her ears with the sound of the ocean.

Eventually, Brittany disappeared with her friends, leaving Rachel by herself once again. Glancing at the clock, she was taken back in surprise. She was on page 33 of editing, and it was 7:45. Gar would be there any minute! She closed her computer and made sure Kori and Karen hadn't totally wrecked her once again. For once, she found herself concerned with her appearance in front of a guy. There was a knock at the door and she practically jumped out of her skin. Opening it, she smiled. There was Gar, standing at her door five minutes early.

She had to admit, he looked better without the apron. He was searing khaki shorts and a partially unbuttoned long-sleeved collared shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. Rachel also noticed that he didn't have an undershirt on. She shook herself mentally. Today was such an odd day…

"You look…nice, good, great," Gar seemed to trip over his words. Rachel found herself stifling a laugh.

"You have a way with words, Gar Logan."

"Do I? I mean…yeah. Ha. So, are you ready to go?"

"Yeah. I see you showed up early. Very professional."

"You think so? Steve and Rita were always criticizing my manners."

"Parents are so overly-critical."

"Tell me about it. It's like they want you to be perfect or something." The silence that filled the air after that comment was almost suffocating to Rachel. The truth about it was so ironic in her case. Noticing something was up with her, Gar cleared his throat and bowed mockingly, holding out his arm for her to take. "Your evening of fun awaits, m'lady." Rachel accepted the arm and the two headed to the stairs. As they passed Kori and Karen's dorm, Rachel swore she heard giggles from behind the wooden door.

Laughing to herself, Gar gave her a bemused look. "Is something funny?"

"It's just my friends…they were spying on us from behind their dorm door. They're a little overly ecstatic that I have a date."

"I'm glad to know that your friends are excited and approve."

Together, Gar and Rachel exited the dorm on Dartmouth Row and headed for Collis Center in the middle of the campus. It was a beautiful night in April – perfect for a stroll around campus. Thankfully, the rain had given in, and a cloudless night was in store. Part of the way there, Gar slipped his had into hers. To her surprise, she didn't reject. Normally, she would have killed anyone who did that to her. Once inside, they walked down the stairs and into the dance club, FUEL.

The first thing Rachel thought upon entering was how loud it was. Then she remembered that night…Malcom and his friends…what he did to her. Clearing her head, she plastered a relatively real smile on her face as Gar turned to her. "So, uh…" he was stumbling over his words again, "do you wanna dance or…er...something?"

"You truly _are_ the next Shakespeare."

"Hey! Just because you're majoring in English doesn't give you the right to –"

"I'm not the one with a speech impediment, and sure. I'll dance."

Gar raised his eyebrows and took her hand once more to lead her onto the dance floor. The bass was cranked way up on the stereos and bright lights were flashing everywhere. Couples were dancing very closely, partially out of their own choice, and partially because there wasn't much room. When they found a reasonably open spot, Gar seemed to know what he was doing, as though he had done this hundreds of times. Rachel, however, wasn't so great at dancing. As much as she wanted to leave the dance floor, every time she looked and saw that goofy grin of Gar's, she felt magnetized to the spot she stood in.

Part way into the second song, some random guy bumped into Rachel, causing her to fall forward. She closed her eyes and braced herself for pain and embarrassment, but it never came. Instead, two hands were wrapped steadily around her shoulders. "You OK, Rachel?"

"Yeah. I'm fine…thanks for that."

The guy who bumped into her whipped around. "Sorry abou…Rae? I thought you said you couldn't come tonight?" Oh great. Warren.

"I told you I wouldn't go with you because I already was going with someone."

"So you dumped me for this green-haired freak?"

"I didn't dump you. There was never an 'us' and there never will be. And he is not a freak at all. He happens to be less freakish than anyone I've ever met. Especially less of a freak than you. Come on Gar. Let's dance somewhere else." She seized his hand and walked towards the other end of the room. Looking confused, Gar followed, trying not to cause a problem.

"Who was that?" he asked as they began dancing again.

"Warren Cummings. He's a guy in my philosophy class, and he's an idiot who keeps hitting on me. Earlier today, he asked me to come to this party. Actually, he didn't ask. He assumed that I would, rather. I called him egotistical and he got offended and left me alone."

"That sounds fun."

"More than fun. It sounds spectacular."

The fast song changed to a slower pace, and Rachel stared down at her toes. Although slow dancing would surely be the highlight of her evening, she was reluctant somehow. Gar bent down to meet her gaze and drew it upward once more. "May I have this dance?" he asked, grinning genuinely, making Rachel's heart melt. She replied with a small smile before draping her arms carefully around his neck. He slipped his hands around her waist and began to spin on the spot.

For some reason, the words forming in Rachel's head seemed to be as firm as jello. She had danced with guys before, sure…but nothing like this. Although she had only known Gar for one day, she felt something that had never been present before. She felt secure in his arms, as though he would never let anything happen to her. It was an emotion she had never sensed around anyone else – not her friends or family or _anyone _for that matter. Without thinking about her actions, she moved her head so it rested on his chest.

"Gar? I just thought I'd let you know that I'm having a wonderful time."

"Me too."

"Do you think I could stop by the café tomorrow for another one of your famous lattes?"

"I think I can live with that."

Easing her head back on his chest, they continued to spin, eyes closed. The serenity lasted for several minutes as the song continued. Rachel seemed to lose track of the music, only hearing Gar's heartbeat. Although she seemed to lose the music, her ears sensed the other noise around her. One noise in particular caught her attention. It was coming from the back of the room, and made her face flinch. She didn't need telling twice what the noise was. Rachel heard it all: the clink of bottles, the crashing coming from bodies colliding with chairs, and the slurred laugh. Daring to open her eyes for a moment, she found her thoughts to be correct. Several guys stood in the back, obviously drunk and laughing.

One guy drew her attention in particular – it was Malcom, and he was intoxicated. Her mind seemed to crash from within as memories grasped hold of her.

_It was getting late, and Rachel sat at a table near the bar, her head resting in her hands. Malcom and his buddies were sitting at the counter, drinking beers. It was Malcom's sixth one…perhaps his seventh. Deciding she was done putting up with him, she stood and headed steadily for the door when she felt a hand grip tightly on her shoulder. Her breathing growing shallow, she whipped around to find an angry Malcom surrounded by his cronies. _

"_Where were you off to, Rachel?" he slurred, "Were you just going to leave me here? Were you just going to forget about me? You little bitch! You were just going to leave me here to embarrass me in front of my friends, weren't you?" Taking her arm tightly, he dragged her out of the bar around to the back. She struggled to get away, but he held fast. _

"_Let go, Malcom! You don't want to do this! Please let go!" Rachel considered herself to be strong, but she couldn't help knowing what was coming…_

"_I'm going to teach you a lesson you'll never forget." He slapped her and she fell down beside the building into a large puddle. "Would you like to join your mother? Your brother?" _

"_No! Malcom, no!" _

"_I'm not going to kill you, but only if you don't abandon me anymore," he threatened, a vicious look in his eyes. Tears in her eyes, Rachel nodded. "Good." Looking up, she noticed that Malcom was getting awfully close…too close for comfort. _

"_Come-come on, Malcom. Let's go back inside, all right?" Rachel stuttered, fear in every inch of her words. _

"_Oh no. You are going to pay me back for your stupidity." There was a malicious grin on his face, and he inched forward, closer and closer. She blacked out at this point, and the last thing she remembered was Malcom sitting on top of her, unbuttoning…she had woken up a while later and immediately hitched a ride back to campus. _

"Rachel? Rachel! Are you all right?"

Snapping out of her memories, Rachel realized that she was standing in FEUL, dancing with Gar Logan.

"Are you okay? You were practically choking my stomach."

It was true. She had been clinging to Gar so tightly that he was gasping slightly. Noticing this, she let go and allowed him to catch his breath before looking at him once more. When she glanced up, however, she did not catch glimpse of his eyes, but saw past his shoulder to the back of the room. There in the back, Malcom and his friends stood, laughing and shoving each other into the wall. Blinking slowly, she turned back to Gar, his innocent smile looking concernedly at her.

Shaking herself mentally, she wrapped her arms around him again and they began to dance again. Gar seemed to notice that Rachel was distant, and reached a hand up to tuck a strand of her hair behind her ear. She caught his eyes and looked into them and saw nothing but concern; simple selfless love for a friend. No one had ever looked at her like that, and come to think of it, she had never felt this way before. Somehow, though all this, a voice in the back of her mind that sounded too much like her father kept telling her, _"You don't deserve this. You're not worth this much." _

Tears welling up in her eyes and a lump forming in her throat, she looked away to try and shield her face. She wouldn't let him think she was weak. Gar wasn't dumb, though. "Rachel? If something is wrong, you can tell me." The voice in her head grew louder along with Malcom and his friends.

"_You don't deserve this. You're not worth this much."_

"Do you want to talk?"

"_You don't deserve this. You're not worth this much." _

"You can trust me."

Rachel didn't need the voice in the back of her mind anymore. Tears overcame her and spilled down her face. Wrapping her arms protectively around herself, she ran. She just couldn't take it anymore. Thankfully, no one noticed as she fled FUEL. She couldn't tell if Gar had followed or not, but hoped he hadn't. She just needed to get away from the club and from him. She couldn't subject him to her past…she just _couldn't._

Outside, the weather was crisp and cool. Shivering, Rachel dashed from Collis Center onto the Green, where she collapsed beneath a tree, her sobs overcoming her. For several minutes, she laid on the ground, tears trickling down her face. No one disturbed her, and the sound of silence seemed like a lullaby. The soft breeze rustling through the grass seemed to comfort her and stroke her hair softly. It felt to her like a mother's touch…something she hadn't felt in five years. It was her mother and she was just a child. Just a child…

Rachel could hear footsteps from far away and much to her dismay, the steadily became louder as they came nearer. "Rachel?" It was Gar, and he sounded sympathetic and worried, as though he had caused all of the tears and pain in her life. When she didn't respond, he promptly sat on the grass beside her and scooted close, placing a calming hand on her back. It was not a mother's touch, but it wasn't unpleasant. "Rachel? Whatever is bothering you, you can tell me. I won't think it's ridiculous."

Wiping her eyes, Rachel sat up, leaning against the tree trunk. "I bet you think I'm childish for crying like that," she choked out, hiccuping.

"There is nothing childish about crying."

"I guess I've just grown up in a place where crying made you weak."

"Well just so you know, in my book, crying makes you stronger."

The silence that followed was long, but not at all awkward.

"Is it all right if I ask you why you ran out?"

"I guess you have the right to know."

"Glad to know I'll be in the loop," Gar joked. Rachel grinned despite herself.

"Earlier this year, Malcom Narrel was my boyfriend. Around December, he, his buddies, and I went to some club about an hour from here. We had an all right time, but as it got later, Malcom began to drink a lot. At one point, I tried to leave, but he dragged me outside behind the restaurant where he…he…"

"Oh God."

"So tonight, when I saw Malcom and his friends drunk at the back of FUEL, I just – I just collapsed inside. Then I looked at you and I realized that I can't subject you to my past. Yours is so clean. Mine is coated in filth one hundred times over."

"I don't care."

Rachel surprised herself as the words spilled from her mouth. She had never told anyone about what Malcom had done – not even Kori or Karen. All they knew was that they had a huge fight and alcohol was involved. What surprised her more was Gar's response. Now she really knew: she didn't deserve him. Finally, words were spoken.

"I can begin to see why you said you had an incomparable past."

Laughing bitterly, Rachel gave a twisted smile. "If you think that's bad, just know this: that was one insignificant chapter in a thousand-page book."

"Well, Rachel Roth, I just want you to know this: whenever you want to talk about any of it, I'm here. Now is as good of a time as any."

"Thank you, but now is not the time. My past isn't just something that can be discussed on the spot. I am not prepared, mentally, physically, or emotionally, for what my story does to me."

"That's fine. I just want you to know that I'm here, any time of day or night." Gar crawled over to Rachel and sat beside her, leaning back on the tree trunk. "It's pretty cold out. Are you chilly?"

"A little, but I'm all right."

Gar hesitated for a moment, but then enveloped Rachel in his arms, covering her in warmth. It was a warmth, not only on her body, but within her. She returned the embrace and allowed him to lift her to her feet. Leaning her head on his arm as they walked, she felt the sense of security drape around her once more. They entered their dormitory and clanked up the stairs, still wrapped up within each other. Even as their footsteps halted in front of 632, they remained still.

Rachel sensed Gar's warmth leave her for a moment. She turned to face him and felt his lips brush lightly against hers. Before she could say anything, he smiled charmingly and disappeared down the hallway. Rachel touched her lips and gazed at the spot where Gar had just stood.

**Wow! That didn't take forever…yeah right. I am SO SORRY once again for the delay. I just couldn't think of anything for so long and then school got ahead of me. Then the website wouldn't let me log in, especially since I finished this days ago! Plus I have Academic Super Bowl tomorrow and Jazz band Auditions coming soon and the audition piece is RIDICULOUSLY HARD! **

**I hope you enjoyed this chapter as much as the last one: I got the most reviews ever! To all those who reviewed, thank you, and to those who will review again or not again, THANK YOU!**

**I NEED IDEAS FOR CHAPTERS, SO IF YOU HAVE IDEAS, FEEL FREE TO TELL ME! **

**Please review! **

**peace 'n luv, GUCIGIRL**


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